Ben Simmons reportedly has a training camp contract on the table from a Western Conference team. Could that be from the Golden State Warriors as the 30-year-old eyes an NBA return?
It’s possible but an outcome that might be quietly decided by Jimmy Butler, with the injured All-Star having a connection with Simmons from their one year together at the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2019-20 season.
Jimmy Butler could decide Warriors’ Ben Simmons gamble
There’s been no reported interest from the Warriors in Simmons, though in fairness no team has been directly linked outside the 76ers and Miami Heat who the three-time All-Star declared his interest in playing for.
But if Golden State were to have interest in bringing Simmons to training camp to battle for one of their final roster spots, they’d undoubtedly ask for some significant input from Butler to decipher, perhaps most importantly, whether his former teammate would be a chemistry fit in the locker room.
The answer might be no from Butler, or at least there might be some hesitation over the Warriors taking a gamble on Simmons. According to The Athletic’s Zach Harper in 2020, Butler questioned Simmons’ “mental makeup” in an understandable perspective given what’s happened in the over half decade since.
“He (Butler) didn't view (Simmons) on par with someone like himself or (Joel) Embiid when it came to mental makeup,” Harper wrote.
In fairness to Butler, he publicly denied any issues with Simmons or Embiid after departing for the Heat, and the former joining the Warriors would be a far different situation now to what was going in Philadelphia where he was a rising star before his career has collapsed in recent years.
Jimmy Butler may also talk Warriors into Ben Simmons
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Butler tried to talk the front office out of a Simmons move, but there’s also a chance that the 36-year-old talks them into it. Butler saw Simmons' talent first hand during a season as teammates where the Australian averaged 16.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 2.1 steals while being named to the All-NBA Third Team.
That’s a ceiling that very few players left in free agency will ever reach. Sure, Simmons won’t reach that level again either, but perhaps there’s enough talent still there to be worth the risk with one of the two remaining roster spots.
Only time will tell if Simmons can land back in the league after a year off, but there’s little doubt Butler will have a major say on whether or not it's the Warriors who offer him an NBA lifeline.
